Contents
Chapter 26
Overview
Rand endures successive ancestral visions revealing the Da’shain Aiel’s charge from Aes Sedai, the Keeping of the Covenant through the Breaking, the splintering from the Way of the Leaf, seed-singing with a Nym, and the moment the Bore is drilled. Muradin fails the trial.
Rand then rescues a hanged Mat, who returns with a foxhead medallion and a spear-sword. Shadowy dust-beings attack; Rand destroys them with whirlwinds, and the pair exit Rhuidean at dawn.
Summary
Within the glass columns, Rand lives the memories of Aiel ancestors. First, Adan mourns slain kin as raiders abduct his daughter; a faction led by Sulwin abandons hauling Aes Sedai relics to seek lost songs, while Adan vows to keep the duty. The Da’shain cling to the Way of the Leaf despite devastation.
Next, Jonai grapples with losses during the Breaking. He meets starving Ogier seeking stedding and receives Solinda Sedai’s charge: keep moving, protect the angreal, sa’angreal, and ter’angreal, and keep the Covenant. Jonai organizes the vast wagon train leaving Paaran Disen with his family and chora cuttings, guided by Alnora’s fragile hope.
Rand then sees Coumin in a seed-singing with Someshta the Nym and Ogier. News comes that Lews Therin has sealed the Bore; townsfolk celebrate, but fear and hatred erupt. Coumin finds his greatfather Charn lynched for past service to Lanfear, exposing how swiftly the world turns on the Da’shain.
Finally, Charn witnesses the Sharom at the Collam Daan as Mierin (Lanfear) and Beidomon tap a new source; black fire erupts, the sphere shatters, and darkness falls—the drilling of the Bore. Overwhelmed, Rand staggers out of the columns as Muradin mutilates himself and vanishes.
In the square beneath Avendesora, Rand finds Mat hanging by a rope from a pole and cuts him down, reviving him with hard-won breaths and chest heaves. Mat wakes hoarse, clutching a silver foxhead medallion and an odd black-hafted spear-sword (ashandarei), cursing the treacherous folk beyond the second doorway.
As they leave, rippling dust gathers into clawed, faceless shapes—a malignant bubble of evil. Rand and Mat fight; outnumbered, Rand weaves whirlwinds that explode the figures to dust. New ripples reform, and the pair flee through the fog dome. Safe outside, with dawn brightening the peaks, they prepare to return to the waiting Aiel.
Who Appears
- Rand al'ThorProtagonist; endures ancestral visions in the columns, exits to save Mat, and disperses shadow-dust attackers with woven whirlwinds.
- Mat CauthonFound hanged beneath Avendesora; revived by Rand. Returns from a second doorway with a foxhead medallion and ashandarei.
- MuradinAiel rival in Rhuidean; breaks under the visions, mutilates himself, and disappears.
- AdanDa’shain ancestor; mourns slaughtered family, denounces deserters, and resolves to keep Aes Sedai charges and duty.
- JonaiDa’shain leader during the Breaking; ordered by Solinda to guard the relics and keep moving; organizes the Aiel exodus.
- CouminDa’shain youth at a seed-singing; later discovers his greatfather Charn lynched amid post-war hysteria.
- CharnDa’shain in the Age of Legends; witnesses the Sharom’s destruction when the Bore is drilled; later lynched in a different vision.
- SolindaAes Sedai who charges the Da’shain to safeguard the Power-wrought troves and keep the Covenant through the Breaking.
- SomeshtaNym who seed-sings with Ogier and Aiel; later tasked by Aes Sedai, showing the world’s deepening wounds.
- DeindreAes Sedai with Foretellings that drive plans; cannot give timing, fueling tense Aes Sedai debate.
- OselleAes Sedai arguing over Foretellings and peril; part of the council directing desperate measures.
- AlnoraJonai’s wife; dreamer who offers fragile hope as the Aiel depart Paaran Disen.
- SulwinDa’shain dissenter who abandons the charge to seek safety and the lost songs, splitting from Adan’s people.
- TomadaOgier present at seed-singing; hears the report of the Bore’s sealing and measures duty against celebration.